


Reborn by Fire.

by WinterFaerie



Series: A Realm Reborn: Shion's beginning. [8]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:42:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26687620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterFaerie/pseuds/WinterFaerie
Summary: After being betrayed by Ungust and a spy within the Flame's ranks, she and a few others are captured by the amalj'aa and brought before Ifrit to be scarified. Here, Shion learns that she cannot be tempered and decides to fight for her life against the god of inferno.
Series: A Realm Reborn: Shion's beginning. [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1917160
Kudos: 3





	Reborn by Fire.

Shion’s nails dug weakly at the thick ropes binding her wrists behind her back, eyelashes fluttering as she gradually began to regain consciousness. Settled in a dimly lit cavern, she could hear the soft weeping and murmured prayers of others. For a brief moment, she sat in the confusion of a semi-conscious state before her eyes finally snapped WIDE open. Her arms flexed as she tried to pull her hands free only to feel the rope digging into her skin, leaving angry red rings.

One of the captured flames must have heard her curse under her breath because he looked over at her and managed to lift onto his knees and face her, nearly wobbling off balance and falling on his face. “M-Miss! See this pool behind me? If you could get free.. There’s a way out beneath the water. It would just be a short swim and you could go assemble a rescue party!” 

Shion glanced over her shoulder, a glimmer of hope in her eyes at this information. She struggled more aggressively against her bindings, her breath catching in her throat as she grit her teeth for a moment. “I.. I can’t get these loose.. I..” 

Cut off by heavy footfalls, her dark eyes lifted as she was engulfed in the shadow of a particularly massive Amalj'aa. 

“Rejoice, heathens, for your worthless lives shall soon have meaning!” He growled out, pointing the glimmering tip of his lance directly at Shion’s throat. “Now stand. We go.” 

With the threat of being stabbed to death being shoved in their faces, most the captives, Shion included, struggled to their feet. Others needed a more guiding touch. Slaps to the backs with the shafts of the beast men’s weapons or large hands roughly yanking them upright and pushing them along until all of their captives are marching into the Bowl of Embers. 

Funnily enough, among those bound and being forced to meet Ifrit were the slimy bastards who got everyone INTO this mess. The traitorous Flame Soldier and the weasel Ungust were unceremoniously tossed in with the others. 

Ungust sobbed out, wriggling against the cracked, dry earth like a worm being baked in the sun.   
“Nooo! Spare me! I beg of you! This wasn’t the deal!” 

The Amalj’aa zealot turned, ignoring his pleas while wrapping two hands around his lance as the sky began to darken. Something massive was now eclipsing the sun and they were calling out to it. 

"𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚!   
𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨, 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐲!  
𝐎 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲 𝐈𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐭, 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨!   
𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮!   
𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞!"

Shaking, Shion watched with wide eyes as some storm of light began to boil within the dark mass in the sky. The other Amalj’aa all lifted their spears to the sky, bowing their heads. The temperature rose drastically and the whole group was washed over with a sudden burst of hot wind as the dark eclipse caught fire. A growl shook the world around them and Ifrit exploded forth in his summoning, launching higher into the sky before plummeting down into the bowl like a crashing meteor. 

A quick breath was yanked into Shion lungs, the hot air scorching her and making her chest ache painfully. Was this how she would die? She found herself asking this a lot lately but now, she was fully convinced… Gazing directly at the terrible god the Amalj’aa coveted so much, she knew. 

Ifrit would be the death of her. 

The being was massive with dark obsidian colored skin that looked more like charred leather save for the few angry orange spots of molten lava beneath. He stood on four legs all with deadly claws digging into the earth. The massive horns on his head reminded Shion of those on a demon's head. Ifrit’s roar was like a primordial shriek leading into something low and guttural and his voice was just as fearsome. “𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐀𝐍! 𝐁𝐘 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇, 𝐈 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌 𝐘𝐎𝐔!” 

Everyone around Shion cried out again in one final attempt to beg for their lives but Shion couldn’t get herself to unfreeze from this shocked state. Despite the sweat pouring down her face, she could have sworn that she was feeling the icy clutches of death, wrapping around her throat. 

Ifrit continued, “𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐀𝐍! 𝐁𝐘 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇, 𝐈 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌 𝐘𝐎𝐔!” He then began to inhale deeply, sucking in air like a blackhole as he rose onto his hind legs and drank deep from the hidden sun. A terrifying draconic growling rippled up through his throat and with it the flickering of blue flame that was soon forced out with a terrifying scream. The inferno rushed out at them, washing over the group as they all cried out and flinched, lifting their arms to hide their faces instinctually. Shion remained completely still, her lids falling closed as she waited for the scolding agony before death she had been expecting. Her thoughts of course went to that of her Mother, two step brothers and everyone else in Doma she failed to help. She failed them. She would never get to see them again. Tears fell through her lashes only to be dried immediately by the insufferable heat. 

… She waited but… 

Her eyes opened again and she looked around, terrified in her confusion as the fire danced around her body, caressing her skin while trying to pull her into its embrace. This flame did nothing but thaw her out of her staggering fear and allow her to break free from her scorched bonds. She tensed and ripped her wrists apart with a grunt while the others around her fell to their knees in zombie-like worship. 

“O mighty Ifrit…” The Flame Sergeant began, his glazed over eyes lifting to Ifrit adoringly.   
A flame private then droned on, “My one true god... your words are my bread.“ The sameness of their lifeless tones was unsettling but not more unsettling than the enraged look the Amalj’aa gave Shion when they realized that she wasn’t basking in Ifrit’s glory like the rest. 

“Impossible! By what sorcery do you resist my master’s will?! Could it be? Your soul already belongs to another?! YES. That is the only explanation!” 

Shion wasn’t sure how to respond but her brows furrowed and her hand twitched, readying itself to grab for her weapon which they had been SO kind to allow her to keep. The group of Amalj’aa and their newly brainwashed fellow zealots all began to step away, fearful of Ifrit’s wrath in response to this development. 

Ifrit huffed from his open maw, the air in front of his face briefly catching flame before it flickered out before his narrowed glowing eyes. He looked upon the blonde warrior before him with rage boiling beneath the surface of his momentary divine calm. A sudden territorial roar caused Shion’s heart to jump into her throat. Surely now he had to resort to destroying her another way. He boomed— 

“𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡, 𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐎𝐧𝐞. 𝐘𝐞𝐭 𝐈 𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐞... 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐱𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫— 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝'𝐬 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝!” 

Ifrit stepped forward heavily, a clawed foot crashing down to the ground causing a ring of fire to erupt around the two of them. The fire closed them in an arena of his own making. Shion’s eyes ticked about quickly, searching for any possible escape routes but she was out of luck and Ifrit needed to be vanquished. Somehow. 

The air was broiling hot. Each breath Shion took dried her lips and burned the back of her throat. She swallowed down the pain like a strong drink and yanked her sword from its sheath. The metal sang and flashed in the light of the inferno all around her. She brought her shield up - and before she could take another breath, Ifrit inhaled deeply and then exhaled. 

A blast of fire raced towards Shion but she dove out of the way, rolling against the baked earth before jumping back up and launching herself directly at the beast, slashing down against the primal’s leg and biting into its leathery skin. It was one of those moments where she had no time or allowance to properly think. One moment of hesitance and she would be torched or gored with those massive talons of his. 

Ifrit let out an antagonized roar and swept at her with his other limb, claws raking the air where she had just been standing seconds before she leapt backward. She had to stop short, the wall of flame burning just behind her and threatening to catch her with fiery arms. Sweat poured down her face as she glanced over her shoulder. 

There was nothing for her to hide behind aside from her shield so when the primal followed her movement and let loose another wave of fire she lifted it and held her ground. Somehow the metal of her shield held up against his attack and the flames licked out around the shield not quite able to touch her. There was something else here. Something that gave her a little bit of help and she wasn’t sure what it was. Still, she wouldn’t complain. After the flames ceased to pour from Ifrits maw, Shion launched her shield at him, catching and chipping one of his horns. This earned the young warrior another pained sound from the primal. She rushed, catching her shield before it could hit the ground and she danced around to face him again. 

“𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐛 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨!!”

The beast lifted his head and tensed for a moment, lifting onto his hind legs once more as the ground beneath Shion’s feet lit up and trembled. Before she could figure out where to go the ground exploded up from beneath her and for a second she was engulfed in heat again. Flame danced around her body, somehow burning but not charring her to the bone. Thankful, she dove again, putting the flame on her sleeve out before Ifrit jumped at her once more. Remaining on the ground, she found herself gazing at Ifrits underbelly and just as he began to rise again to swipe at her, she thrust her sword up into his gullet and then ripped the sword up as she rolled back into a crouched state in front of him as his head raised to unleash a sonorus screech again. 

His glowing eyes fell back to the panting blonde and swiped down at her once again, trying to smash her like a bug. His mighty clawed hand met with her shield, clanging loudly as she changed her grip with a quick flip of her sword. Then she jammed the blade through the side of his massive limb. Before she could properly pull back though, that limp jerked into the air, taking Shion with it. Her body was flung across the arena like a ragdoll and she hit the ground hard. 

Her sword landed several fulms away from her. An iron taste filled her mouth and she coughed, blood splattering against the super heated ground, sizzling into mist. Even her palms burned as she pushed herself back up. It was starting to become much harder to breath with the ever rising temperatures so she knew she had to end this soon or she would suffocate. Spotting her sword, she gasped and got to her feet again, just in time to see the ground once again light up beneath her feet. She jumped, diving to roll forward and out of the area just before it exploded behind her and she was showered in flaming rocks only umbrellaed by her lifted shield. She reached out, grabbing her sword again only to realize just how much it hurt to hold with blisters already forming on her hands. Stubborn and determined, she gripped the hilt so tight that some of the blisters popped when she caught another swipe of Ifrit’s mighty claws with the blade itself, parrying. Dancing backward, she heard him speak again, 

“𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭!”

Gritting her teeth she screamed back over the roaring flames, her eyes wild and pained. “I REFUSE!” 

Insulted, Ifrit brought a claw down at her again digging deep into the metal of her shield this time, nearly tearing the heated steel in half. Not good. The sound hurt her ears as the shield seemed to bend in but she refused to drop it. Frightened and enraged both, the wild warrior pressed forward delivering a flurry of rapid blows. One knocking away his arm the other slicing down against his shoulder and leathery neck before she dipped and cut back UP in a sudden ‘V’ towards the other side. 

Ifrit reeled back, his own blood spilling like molten lava against the ground in fat droplets like rain. It was clear he was growing tired of this little game they were playing. Both frontal claws crashed into the ground and suddenly, Shion was surrounded on all sides by the bright trembling earth. She knew it was about to explode upward at her again and so she dropped her shield from her arm, stepping up on it RIGHT as the attack went off under her. Riding the shield, she flew into the air, scowling down at Ifrit as he watched her fly up over her with his glowing eyes narrowing. She left her shield and let it fly off, clattering to the ground somewhere. 

She gripped her sword hilt with both hands then, screaming out as she drove the blade down into Ifrit’s left eye, earning her another agonized screech as he yanked his head up and shook it trying to get her off. She pulled the blade out, having effectively blinded him but she was quickly thrown off after. She hit the ground and coughed as she tried to keep herself from losing the air in her lungs from the impact. 

“𝐓𝐇𝐘 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘!” The primal monstrosity roared, enraged. He drew in another breath, the sound of air heating within his throat caused Shion’s heart to nearly stop. 

She had no idea where her shield went and she wasn’t sure if she could get up and dodge in time. Was this it? She had tried so hard… Slowly, she staggered up to her feet, feebly holding her sword at the ready right as Ifrit unleashed another spill of hellfire at her. Shion closed her eyes and waited, like before… but like before… nothing happened. 

As she cracked an eye open, she noticed something incredibly odd. A spectral form stood between her and the beast. A woman with long untamed hair and outlandish clothing stood with her arms out, shielding Shion from the blast. The fire hit the spirit and split away from the two of them, doing next to nothing in damage. The ghostly woman turned her head, glowing blue eyes fixed on Shion and the words, “Don’t give up! Ever!” Spilt out. She then vanished, leaving Shion looking stunned and Ifrit looking perplexed as to why his fire refused to touch the heroine. 

A new fire boiled just under Shion’s skin then and she charged forward with a war cry. Her legs ached from exhaustion and her hands felt raw but she refused to just lay down and die this way. Not after the gods gifted her this moment, this chance. She was here and she was going to finish this. 

“JUST DIE! DAMN YOU!” 

As Ifirit began to inhale again, Shion boldly got in close and personal. Her entire arm, along with her blade lodged itself into Ifrit’s mouth, stabbing through the back of his throat and halting his intake of heated air. Her arm was wretched free from the beast's maw before he could clamp down and take it from her but she left her sword behind to be swallowed down. 

Ifrit screeched and roared in agony, staggering before toppling down into the dirt as his final words spilled out with a stream of boiling blood. "𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮.. 𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥..."

Shion stood, tense and ready just in case another attack was coming but Ifrit closed his eyes… and then vanished with a sudden burst of fire that shot back up into the sky. His disappearance caused the strange eclypse to vanish, leaving only a dark sky blanketed in stars. The ring of fire died around the arena and Shion dropped to her knees, breathing heavily and drinking the cool night air. An orange crystal appeared on the ground before her and she reached out to take it. For a moment, she wasn’t in her own head as she felt displaced again…  
The commotion around her went unnoticed and an Amalj’aa, enraged to see the slaying of his god charged up behind her raising his spear… 

“Hmph! Persistent lot!” A familiar voice rang out. When Shion finally came to, she lifted her head just in time to see Thancred leap behind her and sink several throwing daggers into the amalj’aa, slaying it with ease before landing and twisting to look at her. “Pray forgive my lateness..” He flashed a charming smile. A new team of flame soldiers marched in to take custody of those who had been captured with her. 

It was … over. 

They all decided then that conversation and celebration was better had AWAY from the bowl and so they decided to leave swiftly. Shion followed at a jog and even though she was somewhat out of it and entirely exhausted… she noticed the looks some of the men gave her. 

She knew then that her life was never going to be the same. Everyone would know her name. Everyone would know her as the woman who took down a primal. While the idea should have made her proud of herself, she actually found herself terrified. 

“How does it feel to be the woman that all of Eorzea will be speaking about, Shion?” Thancred asked in good spirit. 

Shion glanced sideways, correcting him. “Ever.” She began and then continued when he looked confused. “My name is now Ever and that’s what we’ll tell everyone… my family name cannot be spread around like that. They would be in grave danger if anyone in the Imperial army caught wind of my survival.” 

This, Thancred seemed to understand. He nodded and then continued with a light laugh. “Alright, Ever.. my question still stands.” 

She couldn’t answer him yet. She didn’t know how she felt aside from sweaty, in pain and tired.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the end of A Realm Reborn: Shion's Beginning. Shion has taken up a new name now that her life is drastically changing thanks to her involvement with the Scions. A new series will be starting up soon with Shion being referred to as, Ever while she works on ridding the land of Primal threats. 
> 
> Thanks for reading ♥


End file.
